On January 18, 2011, I made my way downtown in search of a spot to rest for a few hours to get rush tickets to see How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Although I have experience in camping out for concerts and signings, I never camped out for Broadway tickets. But when I had the opportunity to not only see Darren Criss (who stars as Blaine on the Fox hit show Glee) on Broadway, but to get tickets that normally cost $90 for balcony for only $30 at a random seat, I jumped at the chance.
I got there around the time that he just finished his 8 p.m. show. I couldn't believe the amount of people standing out there waiting for him to come out of the stage door. From across the street, I saw a glimpse of him and smiled. I couldn't wait to see him on stage the next day. After all that chaos, my mom decided to come back when there were more people waiting other than us.
3:30 a.m. kicked in and I was suddenly layered up from head to toe. The weather has finally hit the 20s and I was spending the night lying on the concrete floors of New York with other brave souls hoping to get good seats for the next show. My cousin and I said goodbye to my mom and made ourselves comfortable. For the next six hours we will sit there and fight the cold.
Oddly enough, I slept warm and well, thanks to the blankets and layers of clothing. The line grew from 20 or so people until it was around the block the next morning! My cousin brought us breakfast before we got ready to pack up and purchase the tickets. They were handing out rush tickets at around 10 a.m and it was good that I slept throughout the whole night so I didn't have those bored, awkward moments.
Before 10 a.m. hit, a man came to talk to us about what was offered. When it comes to rush tickets for How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, there are two shows that mostly play in the week. There is the matinee show which starts at 2:00 p.m. and the evening show that starts at 8:00 p.m. The time and day might change according to the website, box office, or what the person says. There is also a chance that the person you came to see tonight is not there so they address that as well as telling you that rush tickets are limited and that it's a first come, first serve basis.
As 10 a.m. arrived, we gather our stuff and headed towards the ticket booth. We got three tickets for $90 dollars, which is equivalent to one ticket if you ordered it yourself with no rush. As soon as I got home, I searched where we will be sitting and to my surprise we were sitting sixth row orchestra! Staying outside in the cold for rush really paid off.
The show started at 8 p.m., so with fresh new clothes and warm rest, we made our way over. The show was jam-packed with people. I managed to get a few things from merch, including his signature colored bow tie and the program book before being taken to my seat. As I made my way to my seat, we had a few minutes, and then suddenly the lights faded and the music began.
I wouldn't want to spoil the play for those who haven't seen it, but I would just give the overall main idea. J. Pierrepont Finch is a young man that seeks inspiration from a book on how to succeed in business. Throughout the play he follows the book's steps and lands a job at the World Wide Wicket Company. While he strives to make his way to the top, obstacles interfere, such as rivals and even love.
While watching the play, I immediately fell in love with it. It was filled with laughter and anticipation about the main character's eagerness to reach the top. The music was just as good with hits like "How To Succeed," "Coffee Break," and "Brotherhood of Man," which was sang by Daniel Radcliffe on The Thanksgiving parade, the Tony Awards, and late night shows. Darren Criss played it really well, and it's sad to see him go after three weeks.
If you're into musicals or cheap Broadway tickets, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying is for you. Always check the website to see what time rush is and also check other Broadway shows to see if they do rush tickets as well. The next person replacing Darren Criss is Nick Jonas (Jonas Brothers, Marius in Les Miserables) who will be doing his run until July 1.